The Story Before the Beginning
by Lukava
Summary: Zeus is the king of the gods, ruler over all mortals. So it makes sense that most mortal stories make him out to be a hero, and his enemies, such as his brothers, to be evil. But most of it is lies. To hear the truth you have to listen to Poseidon himself
1. Preface: Grandmother, Mother, and Son

**So, a couple of things before you read, or you could skip this, your choice. (Number one has some spoilers for this chapter, so maybe you can look back once you've finished everything else. It explains things a little.)**

**This story I imagined when I was looking up on Google about Poseidon, and it told me that one of the myths about him actually said that both he and Zeus were not eaten, and I started thinking that if that had been true (in PJO of course, I know this isn't real, don't get worried about my mental health) then Zeus most likely covered up the truth to make Poseidon look bad. So I'm writing this story, a little off from the real myths, but set so that it still makes sense that the mortals would hear another story, or that things were misinterpreted. **

**Yes, I know babies should not be that smart. But Hermes was a pretty impressive baby, so I'm guessing that all god babies are. I don't really know. It made sense.**

**The time period of this story from 25 before the first titan and god war (what was the name for that again?) to 200 years after the war was over. Most of my other stories will have this as there history, so if I write a story about Percy, Poseidon might make some hints as to his youth that will be from this story. **

**This is my first story, and I would like some suggestions. Flame all you want, it's not like I care, I would just like some feedback as to how good my writing is. Thanks! (and any offers to Beta would be nice). Tell me if I should stop writing. You're the audience and are the important feedback. **

**This is going to be my longest message to you guys, and most likely I won't post much until after June 22, since I have **_**a lot**_** of studying for final exams to do and do **_**not**_** much time on my hands.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN THE PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS SERIES. (is it like a rule that you have to add this? Because I see that on a lot of writing.) **

_Rhea Prov:_

Grandmother, Mother, and Son

I ran. The greatest test was over. Now I just had to go a little farther and finish what I had started. Someday I may regret this, and that fateful day may be today, but what has been started must be ended. I have begun something that will change everyone's lives, and there is no question that Kronos's and mine shall be for the worse. I only hope that the children's shall be for the better.

My legs burned like the blazing fire in the middle of our palace, horrible and seemingly everlasting. I wanted to slow my hurried pace, to catch my fleeting breath, and my opportunity came when I beheld the city. Minor titans and titanesses lived in that city, worthless to the point that my love, my dear, cruel, husband had most likely never even heard of it, even as the king of the realm. But it would not do to see me running, not even if those who saw me were as unknown and as unimportant as this city. What was its name again?

The sudden change from fleeing steps to the regal tempo I acquire when in public did not go unnoticed by the little bundle of cloths in my arms. Under the shirt that I assumed was Kronos's reached a little wrinkled hand and a sad little whimper. He wanted me. He was hungry and exhausted; he wanted his mother's touch, his mother's milk. But he could not have me. Ever.

I had to return to his father, and, as much as I loved Kronos and he loved me, a baby is not, and never shall be, something that he wants. He took the others, ate them right in front of me. As soon as they left my body, they entered his. There was no hope. He had not even glanced at them, and, as much as that grieved me, that was the key to my success this time. He had not looked as I fed him a new-born lamb instead of a little godling, did not even guess that I would defy him.

And so this baby would defeat my husband, end his rein, just as my mother predicted. _Mother_, I thought, _this plan had better work. I have too much to lose on this gamble_.

Reaching down to the baby's hand, careful to make it seem to all the world that I was simply readjusting the shirt, I gently pushed it under the covers once more. I bent my head down as well, whispering gently to the child, "Not here, love, you are not safe. I shall show you the world later, when the gates have closed behind us and not an immortal soul can spot us." I lifted my head back up, hoping that it had only looked like weariness that had over-taken me, that the childbearing was harsh on my body this time. I hoped that my disobedience was too out of the question in the minds of those around me, those of this nameless city that I had entered. I hoped the baby was safe, just for this little farther.

I stood by the gate, staring down at the guards. "Open the gate, I do not have time for these games," I comanded, hoping that the fear of me was enough not to question my authority. As the younger guard, maybe one hundred years old, raised his arm to unlock the doors, the elder stopped him.

"What is it that you wish to do in the forest, my queen?" he glared suspiciously at me, and I right back. This worthless titan was not going to be the one to stop me, should I get caught. "I only wish to speak to my mother. I bore a child and am weary, and a mother's kindness helps in these times. And to present her with a lamb from our stables. She is tired now so often, and a lamb would be good for us to share for the evening." I said, calm as I ever am. He raised an eyebrow,

"You carry your food in cloths?" I sighed, hoping it would show them that I was impatient with them. That it was their stupidity that was bothering me.

"It is to keep it warm. You have heard of insulation, I am sure." I mocked them. I knew that their education must be limited to the lowest kind in the land. I raised my eyebrow, as he had done, simply to mock him more, waiting for them to open the gates. The guard, giving me one last backward look, did as I wished and I hurried out.

I walked faster out here, knowing that it will no longer look suspicious. These were dangerous woods. I walked into the forest, feeling the breeze on my exposed skin, when suddenly the earth shifted underneath me. I was farther from the gate then ever, standing before my mother.

"The child?" She stated, she eyes more wide open then I have seen them in a long while, though I knew that ever period of her wakefulness lasts less and less. Most likely this time it will only last ten years. But that is all that she will need. She was a strong and powerful as I have ever sen, her back straight, shoulders strong, and her head held high. I remembered that she used to be in my place, queen of the world, and is still more powerful then us all. We are just lucky that she can do no harm to her own children and decedents. Only they can harm each other, as they do. As we do.

"Here." I uncovered the baby, and together we lay our eyes on him. Small as all babies are, with a poof of hair upon his head, as black as the deepest cave.

"What is his name? I need to know his name to raise him. What shall he say to his father as he fights in battle? That he is his son, that that will be his only identity?" She looked up at me as she held her finger out to the child, looking away from a gaze that only hours ago did not exist. The eyes that, like so many of our children, lost the innocence of youth too quickly, that learned to understand at least some things in a matter of days that other, mortal creatures, had the benefit of not learning for a long time, if ever.

"A name? I had no time to give him one. I have never named something before. Can he not pick his own when he is older? I do not wish to brand him forever with a name he is not." I said, worried of the possibilities, looking at the child in wonder.

"No, he cannot. It is not how things are done. Well, fine. Seeing as I shall raise him as my own I suppose I have the right to name him as well." She looked at the baby for a long time, so long that I worried about Kronos noticing my absence. I needed to leave, and as I turned to go, she looked up.

"Poseidon. It means 'husband of the earth', and that is what he shall be. My husband someday, to replace his terrible grandfather. And his father. He shall end the world, and begin it anew."

As I nodded in agreement and left the two, my mother and my son, I took one last look at Poseidon. I caught his eyes once more, as he attempted to wave good-bye, and started into their green depths.

And then I turned and never looked back.


	2. Chapter 1: Change of Plans

**This chapter isn't that great, but I feel like it is needed. Please review, feed back is really helpful. Lots of thanks to the people reviewing.**

_Poseidon Prov_

**Change of Plans**

Dang it! I glared at the deer as it sprinted away, leaving only the leaves swaying from the unexpected wind it caused and my spear, stuck in the ground.

Maybe hanging up-side down and throwing the spear backwards was not the best way to liven the day up. I sighed, swinging back down to the soft, muddy ground. Gaia needed more food and, while ambrosia and nectar where the best, deer would do. She was getting tired; every day I worried that she'll fall asleep again and not wake up for a millennium. She was simply too powerful to stay awake for long, and these past eleven years have taken a toll on her.

Wonderful. Now I have to find another deer. What a waste of time. It used to be that Mother would bring us plenty of ambrosia and nectar, some real food, but Gaia and I have not seen her for almost a year now. Or, at least I haven't seen her. Gaia is the earth goddess; she probably knows exactly what it is keeping Rhea away and refuses to tell me. She's always keeping things from me. And now I have to spend my time hunting for deer, something that I had perfected when I was five. Even then it was not fun. The spear throwing is fun, but the whole "walking the woods real quietly" is just so slow.

The snapping of a branch ripped me away from my thoughts. Something was near and weather of not it was a deer or another hunter was of little importance. Now was the time to crouch low to the damp ground, closer to the new-born leaves with the smell of the strawberries that were littered everywhere about me. Brushing closer to the bushes, the leaves caressing the left side of my face and my arm while the bare branches here and there impaled my skin, I peeked from behind the bushes and looked at whatever had made the noise. What I saw stunned me.

A human. I see so few of those. They looked so much like immortals, yet they are so primitive. They had something in common with me though; Kronos seemed to think that consuming them was a fun activity. And this human was hunting, most likely for his family as well.

The human was rugged; nothing but a filthy cloth covered him and his hair was tangled with dried mud, dirt, and branches, as well as having a certain ability to crawl, raised strands moving to the sides, that I assume meant that there were bugs, possibly small animals, nesting in his hair. The thought sent a shiver down my spin. He was crouched low, his dirt and scar covered face pointed at something in front of him and to my right. His spear, as terribly crafted as it was, was pointed in the direction that the last deer had gone in.

Slowly I followed the trail that his gaze directed me to go in, though he had no clue he was helping me, and I crawled on among the berry brushes with their bitter-tasting leaves to a clearing. There stood a herd of deer, grazing in a flower covered meadow with a pond filled with wildlife in the middle. I smiled. Enough food for both hunters, it would seem. Carful not to make a sound, I stood, still crouching low a bit, imitating the human, and throw the spear. As it always is when I truly make an effort, my spear went straight through the deer's heart. Just as I was throwing, so did the human. He wounded another deer; most likely it would limp away somewhere before it died, left behind by its herd that had fled like pigeons as soon as their comrades went down.

I walked leisurely toward my prey, my back straight and head held high. The other hunter needed to know that I may be young, but I was not one to mess with. No need to kill him over this one deer today, now was there? I could feel his eyes on me, watching my every move as I knelt before the dead deer and pulled my arrow out. The blood pooled around my legs, staining the beautiful meadow floor, making for a sad image among the refreshing flowers. I lifted it upon my shoulders, carful not to spill too much blood upon myself, and turned to look at the human. His blue eyes met mine and did not leave as I moved away toward the forest once more.

I shifted the deer on my back once more, trying to get a better position for something twice my size, as I reentered the cave that was my home. The cave was surrounded on all sides by rock, so that only when you looked at exactly the right spot would you see the entrance. Gaia's magical doing, of course. She made it so that the only people who could ever find it are those that she believed should. An adult would need to duck to get through the door but being eleven did have its advantages. I looked about, making sure that everything was in place. Our beds in the corner. The fire that somehow never caused the cave to fill with smoke in the center of the room. The medicines and poisons that we never used stashed in the cupboards. The weapons lying scattered about the floor as I left them.

I dropped the deer to the ground, in front of Gaia who "tended" the fire, though she seemed gazing at it so intensely that I feared that she would jump right in. Or fall asleep. Lately she had been getting worse and worse. Her once-proud shoulders where bent form exhaustion, her head almost always falling down toward her chest. She was so tired, I felt bad about not telling her to just go to sleep. I could take care of myself, fight, and have been taught to lead.

But I wanted her around. She was all the love I knew, except for Rhea who was hardly ever here. Of course, Gaia seemed to think we should marry and rule the world together, her sleeping away and waking when it is time to fight our enemies and me ruling all else. Honestly, the thought of marrying her was beyond strange; she was more of a mother then wife and, in fact, is my grandmother.

She looked up at me, her eyes not really seeing for a whole five seconds before her gaze turned sad. "It seems as if you shall have some help in the fight of yours with your father, does it not?"

I dropped into a sitting position next to her, stunned, I looked at her. "Do you plan to fight with me in the battle then? How will you stay awake?" She looked at me like I was crazy, before she seemed to realize what she had said and her eyes turned wide like the full moon. "Oh, you do not know. I forget things, at times, when I am tired. We shall wait. You will see soon. And when you do, I shall go to sleep once more, awakening only when your need, my sweet, is great."

A strange feeling filled every cell of my body then, like the lack of feeling before the pain after falling out of a tree, as I processed her words. Her forgetting things was not a shock, it has been going on for years now, and her keeping secrets was even less of a shock, but the fact that she was leaving so soon was horrifying. I knew she would sleep soon, but I have ignored that logic in my mind for a long time before she said those words. Now I knew our time was short. I would spend it wisely. I knew she had told me everything that she was willing to tell; now I wanted to spend time with her and hear he stories. Actually, I wanted to wring out the information from her, such as what in the name of the Fates was coming soon, but I knew it was useless. She would not tell a word.

So I looked up at her and asked, "Would you tell me the story of how you created the world again?" She smiled warmly as she looked at me, sighed, and began the tale.

Halfway through the part of the story were Gaia's children were thrown into pits, we heard her coming. Rhea.

I ran out the door, wanting to tell her the news. Gaia was leaving. But I saw something in her arms. A bundle of cloths. I heard enough of Gaia's stories about how I came to her to know what that was. A baby.

Rhea crouched low to the ground and looked me in the eyes. "This is for you, my love. You have to take care of him. Gaia cannot, not this time." I backed away shaking my head. How in the name of the Fates themselves would I take care of a baby? This was a topic we never breached in my lessons. "I…I….can't…I-"

"You must! Promise me you will do all you can to help him, to keep him safe, as long as you or your own children are not at risk, please! I do not have much time, just promise me by Gaia that you will! Will you not, please? I beg of you! You are the only one who could take care of him now!" There were tears in her eyes, her lips were trembling, and I knew I had to. It was only fair. I was well taken care of, why shouldn't he be too?

"I swear by those terms I shall take care of the baby, Mother. But-"

"Good! Thank you! I must go now, Kronos is waiting." She said, and then fled, running like the wind itself, carful not to attract attention by moving by the wind and mist, disappearing and using her powers. Another thing I was not taught, but for my own protection. Though how I would take care of a baby without finding a way to just disappear was beyond me.

I turned and returned to the cave, looking to tell Gaia what my new job was. To ask her what I needed to do. But she was right at the entrance, looking as strong as she was when I was five, looking down at me. "What shall you call him?" she asked me. I thought for a second, thinking of the tale she had just been telling me about how she and Uranus had once ruled the world. Uranus had been the sky, as blue and bright as the baby's eyes. "Zeus," I said, "Shining, sky, god. It's a good name."

"Yes." She said and smiled, "It will do."

And she vanished. Vanished into thin air.

And I was alone with a baby, in a cave, hiding from my evil farther and his armies, at eleven years old.

Oh, boy.


	3. Chapter 2: How to Raise Your Baby

**Thanks to those that reviewed! Some feedback as to how to improve would be nice, I want to do better then I am. Near the end of the chapter it gets a little descriptive on things that younger kids might not want to read. It's not sex or blood or anything like that, just a woman feeding her baby with her milk, but I'm just warning anyone who does not want to read that. That and some other things is why this chapter is rated T.**

How to Raise Your Baby

"By Gaia's skirts, eat the food!" I screeched at little Zeus, not for the first time, completely frustrated. He simply refused to eat the deer I had cooked. And the crying! I didn't know what was wrong with him; if he was hungry, he should eat the food I give him, and if he didn't like my yelling, he should still eat the food. It's a win-win scenario, yet no matter what I do he still is uncooperative. I even chewed the food for him when I saw that he had no teeth!

"It's not ambrosia, I know, but it will keep your strength up! And keep you functioning! You're going to have to eat sometime!" I begged, "Please? Come on!" Yet the baby's screams continued to amplify throughout the cave, making my ears pound like the drums I saw while spying on the titans at their parties, with every octave a mind blowing pain shot into my brain. He cried all night and throughout the entire morning, only getting worse, never growing tired.

I was tired though. Tired of him, and of the promise I made Mother. It was idiotic, a move I did only out of pity for her, and an assumption that a baby wasn't that different to take care of then Gaia was these past couple of years. Well, I was horribly wrong. At least she told me what she wanted, helped me at times, and did not take a dump any time, any where. I had to tie one of my togas around his waist and between his legs to keep him from messing up the whole cave, though now I have to clean him up every couple of hours, which is the most nauseating thing I have ever done. The first time cleaned that thing I had gotten sick in the bushes.

I tried to stuff the chewed-up deer meat in his mouth once more, but he shook his head like a maniac, hitting the food with his face and throwing it down unto the filthy ground. I swore. "Well, now neither of us can eat it. Great. Just great. Did it occur to you that it takes some real effort on my part to get that meat? Huh?" I glared at him, and to my utter shock, Zeus stopped crying. He looked up at me with those sky blue eyes of his, filled with tears of pure sorrow, his little mouth trembling with the force of his unhappiness, his little nose crumbled up like a crushed leaf on the ground. I couldn't stay mad, not when he was just as miserable as I was. I obviously needed to get him some kind of food specially made for babies, and I needed to find it fast. Before Zeus deteriorated. It would take a lot more to revive him then, and he would not grow the whole time he was unconscious, only prolonging the problem, storing it away for a later date.

Setting Zeus down on what used to be Gaia's bed, though it was more of a cloth on the ground with a pillow, I sat down next to the fire and thought hard about the situation. Zeus was as silent as a still the wind, understanding that he needed to be quiet for me to be able to work. I thought hard. What did I know about babies? I knew where they came from, a very awkward and slightly scary conversation with Gaia took care of that problem, but I knew nothing of what happens after the birth. All I knew came from the animals and the humans that I have observed, and that was not much.

The humans. That was it. I would go and find the humans, watch them for a while, and see what they fed their babies. They were so similar to us in looks; they would most likely feed their young in a similar way as well. I mean, except for ambrosia and nectar, we had the same diets, so it should be simple. I smiled and stood, turning to the entrance of the cave and grabbing my spear that was leaning on the wall, ready to go and hunt down some humans. All I needed was a pack of food, since I might be gone a while, which was easy to provide since I had hunted only yesterday. Once the pack that Gaia had made me was filled with the deer meat, I turned to go out.

That's when a small whimper filled with melancholy occupied the cave. Zeus. How could I forget him? He was the reason I had to go on this stupid mission anyway. I sighed and turned to look at him.

"I suppose that you can't stay and take care of yourself, can you?" I said, looking at him wearily. He stared back at me with those big, round eyes filled with worry. Too much worry and unhappiness for such a young child. Then again, the same could be said for me. Sighing again, I walked over to him and picked him up, cradling him to my side and carrying him over to my togas. "We're going to need more of these if you're coming along," I muttered. I stuffed them into my bag, which was tied to string that I throw over my shoulder, held my spear in one hand, and then Zeus in the other. "Geez, I wish I had a third arm. With you around with me in the woods it isn't going to be that easy moving quietly and efficiently, now is it?" I said, looking at his eyes that to all the world seemed to agree with what I was saying, complete sympathy filling his gaze.

I smiled at him, glad that if he had to be such a bother, at least he was cute. This way the day isn't as hard to handle. I turned to look at the cave. "Good," I sighed, "let us move on."

I knew it would be hard to move through the woods with a baby, but I had not realized just how hard it would be. Hauling him around wasn't even the hard part. It was keeping him quiet and still, and being able to move about. With him in my arms it was hard to bend down to the ground and check to see which way the human from yesterday, which seemed now like a very long time ago, had gone. His squirming was horrible. I was constantly nearly dropping him, not to mention all the noises he was making.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! Do you want a monster to hear us? Or maybe our father's armies? One way or the other, we'll be eaten by nightfall if you continue!" I hissed at him, hopping that this time he would listen to me. But it was useless. I had half a mind to just to set him down by a tree here in the woods and leave. It would make things so much easier, and I could focus on gathering an army to fight Kronos instead of taking care of Zeus. I could be training instead of carrying around this little beast. But I had sworn an oath by Gaia herself, a foolish mistake as much as it is an unbreakable oath. I wanted to scream from frustration because of this stupid baby. Had Rhea not learned to stop getting pregnant after the first time Kronos ate her child? Did she really have to keep going? Just because I turned out fine doesn't mean she should create a whole army to hide in the forest. Secret armies are only useful until they are discovered.

The human had made obvious tracks in the ground, leading me straight to him and his tribe of humans. And Zeus seemed to be getting tired of squirming and screaming, most likely because he had stayed up all night and most of the day with absolutely no food. This was worse then before. Now I was really worried about what could happen to him. I really needed to hurry and find those humans.

Then I heard a sound that I had come to recognize over the past twenty-four hours: a baby. Elated, I knew we were close to the humans, only a little farther. I once again crouched lower to the ground, ready to hide at any second. I became instantly aware of every sound my feet made on the hard floor, every little crackle of leaves when I stepped on them, every little breath that Zeus and I took. When I reached a clearing, I crouched lower and hid behind the bushes, peeking out to look at the mortals. Now was one of those times that I wished that Gaia had told me how to use my powers, that I wished that the titans could not detected my gifts when I had no terrain or job to hide my use of magic. It would be so much easier to watch these mortals, to know what they were thinking. But I couldn't use the, so it was only natural that when I hear the humans I understood not a word.

These mortals did not speak in our language, but communicated, limitedly from what I could tell from their reactions to one another, in grunts. It was strange, to say the least. Some sat around food, raw meat, while others seemed to be tending to the children, and still others seemed to be seemed to be trying to fix their rude weapons for a better kill. They were all hairy, uncombed, dirty, skinny, and covered in bugs that crawled all over them, just like the human from yesterday, though he was not here; most likely he was off hunting again. There were around two dozen of them in there camp, which, like Zeus's and mine, was partly in a cave. Only our cave was far better hidden and equipped.

After the initial glance, I looked back at those tending the children. For some reason it was mainly females looking over the children, tending to the little humans. In all, there must have been around three toddlers and three or four older children, some my age, and five or six babies. Something told me that there were so many babies compared to older children because most of them died, like with the sea turtles that I had watched when I had gone to visit the sea with Gaia. One baby was crying, and a female that I assumed was its mother took it to her breast. Just when I thought she was going to put the baby out of its misery and suffocate it, the baby stopped crying and took her breast into her mouth, and it started suckling. I stared, open mouthed, completely not understanding the point of that. Or why the baby had actually stopped crying to do this. That's when Zeus made a small sound, enough so that only I heard, and reached out toward the female. I looked and him, still in complete shock, and stared. Instead of eating good old deer meat, he wanted to suck on a female's breast?

I looked back, wanting to learn more about this strange tradition, when the baby detached itself from the breast and started wailing again. The mother brought the baby back to the breast quickly, but not before I saw the white liquid that came out of her breast. That's when I understood. The babies drank that before they could eat normal food. Of course. That is why females had such large chests. I looked down at my own chest, and sighed. There was no way I was feeding Zeus. I needed a new plan.

I stared down at my spear, wishing that there was some way that I hunt down something for Zeus. I passed my eyes over the simple yet strong, smooth wood that was the body of the spear, the head so sharp and sleek, and on the whole, way better then anything that the mortals had made.

That is how my idea came. I looked down at Zeus and whispered, "Well, we are desperate, huh? There seems to be no other choice." I looked back up at the human women, and stood.

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 3: Among the Wild People

**Hey! I'm really sorry I haven't posted earlier, I've been really busy, and kind of uninspired. Really sorry, I promise to actually update at least once a week from now on. **

**Anyway, this isn't my best work. I've been out of practice, not to mention that I didn't have anyone read it over (I still need a Beta) and it might suck. I know it's short, I really didn't have time for this today, but I felt inspired so I wrote anyway. Please, some feed back would be great!**

**Among the Wild People**

There was a moment of silence before the camp erupted into chaos. They all stared at me for a second before the females grabbed the screaming children and shuffled them into the caves while the males moved for their spears. One young male, probably a couple years older me, who I assume was startled by my sudden appearance and reacted instinctually, throw a spear at me. I dogged it easily, but I got in a ready position in case of more attacks. None came. The other males approached me wearily, crouching slightly, obviously finding me unthreatening because of my youth and Zeus's presence, though careful, in case I knew how to use my spear.

I crouched back down to the ground, carefully placing the spear on the ground, though I stepped on it to keep them from stealing it, and I lifted up my free hand to show that I meant no harm. They approached closer, and one male, who walked ahead of the others, tried to communicate with me with those strange grunts of theirs.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry, I don't understand, I-. "

The second I spoke, they jumped back in panic, raising their spears at me, and grunting fearfully, their children screaming.

I cursed, which only seemed to cause more chaos. Deciding that silence may work to my advantage this time, just as it does when hunting, I simply took Zeus in both hands and presented him to the cave people. While doing so, I did my best to look small and innocent: most creatures, or at least as I had observed, seemed to find the youngest the least threatening. Until they reached a fighting age, at which point they are one of the most threatening. I prayed to the Fates that ten years old was not yet a fighting age to these mortals.

The men with the spears backed away a bit. They looked at Zeus quizzically, then back at me. Obviously showing them a baby was not a threat. Taking Zeus back into my left arm, I pointed to one of the females with a baby suckling its breast. I slowly moved toward her until the males once more attempted to prod me with their spears. One male, the one who had spoken to me in grunts, seemed to understand. I hugged Zeus closer and bent to the ground to reach for my spear. The entire camp stiffened at the action, but I only rolled it to the one who understood.

He picked up the spear. He examined it, looking at its wood work, at its mighty head. Dropping his own spear to the ground, he bounced mine in his hand a bit. He grunted to the men around him, who seemed fascinated by the spear, and pointed to a nearby tree. He took aim and lobed the spear straight into the trunk of the tree. The males, and the females who dared watch, were completely thrilled by the spear. They ran to it, trying to grab it, but the male who threw it first forced his way to the front and grabbed the spear. None of the other males argued, though they seemed quite disappointed.

He glanced at me, than turned his head to look at the other males. He grunted a few times before the men backed off and went back to whatever they had been doing earlier. Though they did cast quite a few glances my way, and to the spear, and they did not seem to speak to one another. Obviously they were not used to random gods walking into their camp, asking to suckle on a female's breast, or wonderfully crafted spears that fly straight.

The male with my spear, who I have decided to call Boss Man because of his obvious dominance over the other humans, walked over to me. He smiled, which I dearly hoped meant that we had a deal and not "Now that I have your weapon, I can kill you!" That may have caused trouble, as then I would have to use my powers and kill the whole camp. And then I would not only be lacking food for Zeus but also would have been discovered by the Titans.

Luckily, he only grabbed my shoulder and led me to the females in the cave. He brought me to a female with quiet a few children around her, maybe four or five, one of which was a baby maybe a few months older then Zeus. Boss Man grunted to her, most likely explaining the deal, and she looked at me with a combination of surprise and a motherly worry. She immediately grabbed Zeus from my grasp and took him to her breast. Zeus cried out in joy and grabbed for the breast and started suckling happily, slowly shutting his eyes in content.

I sat, on the ground next to the female and her children, who had now started to stare at me. I was relieved that Zeus would starve, but now it dawned on me that I would have to come back here everyday to feed Zeus. Not to mention, I would need to find something more to trade for next time. And that would be problematic, since if the Titans saw us here, or even some of the things we traded, it would mean that we were discovered and would then experience the same fate as our siblings. Which would be bad.

I sighed. Stupid Zeus. Was there a way he could just grow up in a day?

I noticed a young female, one around my age, approaching. She sat down across from me, staring intently into my eyes like no one had ever done before. Obviously, the female was confused over something.

Grunting, she pointed to Zeus in Boss Man's women's arms. I shook my head "I'm sorry, I really don't understand you." The female frowned. She pointed at my loins. It took me a second to understand what she was asking. And then I burst out laughing.

"No, no! I'm his brother. If I was his father, well, this would be a very different situation." The female still looked confused. I thought for a second, looking around the camp, until I saw two children holding on to the same female's legs. I pointed the older one, then to me, then to the younger one, then to Zeus. To that she laughed and nodded her understanding. She stood and stuck out her hand for me to take, pointing the whole time with her body to the other humans all in a group together, laughing and working at the same time. I took her hand and let her lead me to them, enjoying the opportunity to spend time with people other then my mother, my grandmother, or wailing Zeus. Even it was a group of mortals.


	5. Chapter 4: Human See, Human Do

**Alright, I am really sorry. I know I didn't update for a long time, but it was mostly the fact that after reading the Son of Neptune I felt that I had to redo my thinking on Gaia and her attitude. This doesn't change much of the writing itself, but it does change my feelings on this story, and makes me less enthusiastic about writing more. **

**Anyway, I'm sorry for that and the fact that this chapter and not all that exciting. I just felt that this was important and should be put into the story. I swear, it will have some reverence later on.**

**Human See, Human Do**

Humans are crazy. They are-I swear it. After fifteen days with them, wasting time going back and forth from our cave, I have seen them do quiet a few weird things. Just five minutes ago I watched as one of their children ate a bug. And he didn't find it on the ground. No, he found it in another kid's hair. I tried to stop him, the thing could have been poisonous, but no, the little beast just screamed at me until a group of males came out to make sure I wasn't hurting him. I tried to explain but they are as dumb as a bundle of Zeus's soiled cloths. I'm just waiting for that kid to drop dead so that all those humans will learn their lesson.

I think that it might be that insanity is contagious.

I groan. I could be planning a way to take down Kronos right now instead of getting infested by insane. I don't even have any allies, and without Gaia I was all alone. Except for Zeus, who happens to be refusing to drink any more of the liquid from the Boss Woman, Boss Man's woman, and is screaming bloody murder. I don't know how she hasn't tried to strangle him yet. Looking over I can see The Girl sitting with Boss Woman staring straight at me, and giggling. I think she saw me trying to stop The Bug Eater from consuming the poor little insect. She got up and walked over to me, plopping herself right next to me, far away from the others.

"Hello," I said. She must have been the most intelligent of all the mortals I knew in this camp, which is really depressing, because she mostly just laughs at me.

"Do you eat bugs?" I ask her. She looks at me for a second, than leans her head to the side, as if that might help her figure out what I am trying to say. I sigh. I wasn't expecting an answer anyway. "Nevermind," I mutter.

Sometimes I would talk to her for hours, even though I knew that she didn't understand a word I said. It just felt nice to attempt at a conversation with someone. With Gaia gone and Zeus's strange inability to talk or even stand still she was the only one who sat listened. Except for the occasional inappropriate giggle. If I hadn't known that she can't understand me I would have punched her for laughing when I talked about Kronos eating my siblings.

But today I didn't feel like talking. Just having her there for a while was enough. I laid down onto my back to watch the sky and the slowly setting sun. The sun had yet to reach a point close enough to the horizon that I knew it was time to go home, which meant that I had to try to relax, because I was stuck her for a good deal longer and I didn't want to end up trying to kill a human. I wished Zeus didn't want to play with the other children, but I guess it made sense. They were on the same intelligence level.

I heard The Girl adjusting herself as well, and laying down next to me. I dared to glance over and again I saw her smiling and staring at me. I grunted in frustration. "Just watch the sky, will you?" I begged. She seemed to almost understand me and smiling looked up. She was so strange.

I closed my eyes and tried thought about my first lesson with a sword in the woods with Gaia. The weather was very similar to this; not to cold and not too warm. It was wonderful whether for exercise. I wondered what it was going to be like, teaching the same moves to little Zeus. I smiled.

I opened my eyes to The Girl shaking my shoulder. For a second I was hopeful that I had slept long enough that it was time to go home, but when I looked up at the sky I realized that most likely I had only slept thirty minutes, if that much.

I groaned and glared at The Girl. Why in the name of The Fates was she waking me up? Sitting up I looked at her, and she stuck her hand out to me, showing a piece of meat that I assumed was the dear that at the men of the little tribe had caught earlier today and the women had spent all day cooking.

"Eat?" She asked me.

"No, it's fine, it's your-_did you just talk?_" I stared at her. I could not believe that she had just talked. A warm feeling shot through my blood. Finally! Some one who can convers with me without grunting!

I moved in closer to her, moving my hands out to her and grabbing her shoulders. "Do. You. Understand. Me?" I said, extra slowly, in case it helped her to understand. She smiled, obviously happy with my response, though she didn't say yes or even nod her head. All she did was stick out the stupid meat again and say "Eat?"

I sighed. I was asking for too much all at once. Maybe she will learn more. Apparently humans can learn, and probably my constant talking taught her a little. Maybe simplifying my speech will help her learn as well. "Yes. I want to eat." I said this extra slow, just for her, and took the some of the meat and ate it.

She grinned, self satisfied, and sat down beside me, biting into her portion of the meat.

Now if only Zeus could learn to talk. And walk. And grow some teeth. Than I would be much happier.


End file.
